The Best Paint Sprayers

Buying Guide for Paint Sprayers

Why buy a paint sprayer?

If your paint roller isn’t getting the job done quickly enough, a high-quality paint sprayer might be just what the doctor ordered. Paint sprayers specialize in applying a wide, even coat of paint to the surfaces you’re painting and are especially handy when painting large or uneven surfaces. They come in various sizes and capacities, making them a great option for painting small objects or repainting an entire home.

What should you look for in a paint sprayer?

• Design: The main two types of paint sprayers you will find are air-driven and airless. Air-driven paint sprayers are great for heavy-duty jobs and use compressed air to create a fine mist of paint output. These allow paint output to be modified by tweaking the air pressure, making them a versatile option for various projects. Airless paint sprayers use a hydraulic pump to force paint through a narrow nozzle. These are often suitable for covering large surfaces with thick paint but can be trickier to adjust than air-driven models depending on their design.
• Compatibility: While some paint sprayers can be used with various paints and stains (including unthinned paints), others cannot. Be sure to do your research to choose a paint sprayer that is tailor-made for the applications that you have in mind.
• Pressure: Opting for a high-pressure paint sprayer can be convenient since these can produce a fast stream of paint that will help you get the job done quickly. However, if you will be painting delicate surfaces, high-pressure models can cause more problems than they’re worth. Look for a paint sprayer with various nozzles that can be used for high-pressure and low-pressure applications.

Which type of paint sprayer is suitable for small vs. heavy-duty jobs?

For small jobs, such as painting small pieces of furniture, you should be able to find a budget-friendly airless paint sprayer that meets your needs. However, if you paint broad areas fairly often, you will likely want to invest in a more heavy-duty model. For big jobs, look for a paint sprayer that allows you to connect a paint hose directly to your paint can so that you will not have to frequently refill your paint canister to get the job done.

Our Picks for the Best Paint Sprayers

Pros: Featuring quality brass spray tips and 450 watts of spraying power, the HomeRight C800971 Paint Sprayer is an effective option for a wide variety of paint, including milk, chalk, and latex paints. Its adjustable design is easy to use to change your spray orientation and material flow, making this paint sprayer a versatile option suitable for a wide range of applications. This product also stands out for its large, 40-ounce canister size, which provides plenty of paint when tackling bigger projects.

Cons: Like most paint sprayers, this one will become clogged easily if you neglect to clean it quickly after wrapping up a job. Also, it’s not exactly designed to spray unthinned paint, so be sure that you’re working with paint that has an appropriate viscosity for the tool you’re working with.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a dependable paint sprayer that won’t break the bank, this one is a best-selling model for a reason. While it’s not the most heavy-duty option on the market, it sports the power and performance to make quick work of most household-painting tasks.

 

Pros: If you’re on a budget, it’s hard to beat the YATTICH Paint Sprayer at this product’s price point. Featuring an easy-to-clean design that can be quickly disassembled, this paint sprayer is incredibly easy on the wrist thanks to its lightweight build and modestly sized paint canister. While you won’t want to run extra-thick paint through this sprayer, it makes quick work of staining jobs and handles thinned paint like a dream. It also scores points for its easy-to-grasp instructions and consistent paint output, making it an excellent choice for small to medium-sized jobs.

Cons: While this paint sprayer’s small paint canister makes it easy to handle for those lacking in arm strength, it also means you’ll have to refill it more often when tackling more demanding jobs. Seeing as this product only comes with a single canister, those who will be painting larger areas may want to opt for a more heavy-duty model.

Bottom Line: Given its low price, this paint sprayer delivers where it counts. While it’s probably not a product you’ll want to use to paint an entire barn, it’ll make quick work out of staining your fence or painting a new crib.

 

Pros: If you’re in the market for a paint sprayer that is efficient and dependable enough for demanding jobs, the Graco Magnum 262800 X5 Stand Airless Paint Sprayer is an excellent choice. Featuring fully-adjustable pressure settings and a powerful stainless-steel piston pump, this paint sprayer pulls paint directly from the can for fast and efficient use. Despite its heavy-duty design, it’s also surprisingly lightweight, and it can accept paint hoses up to 75 feet long to give you plenty of latitude to move around while painting.

Cons: While using this paint sprayer to paint wide areas is incredibly efficient, cleaning it can be time-consuming compared to other models. Also, while it’s not the heaviest paint sprayer in its class, some will prefer to invest in a wheeled model, especially if they will be using it regularly as part of their job.

Bottom Line: For the price, this paint sprayer is an excellent option for general contractors who do a lot of painting and homeowners with an incredibly demanding paint job on the horizon.

 

Pros: The Graco 17G180 Magnum ProX19 Cart Paint Sprayer is a great professional-quality paint sprayer that makes it easy to adjust paint flow for heavy-duty applications. While no paint-sprayer is clog-proof, this one mitigates clogging well thanks to its pump filtration system and is incredibly easy to set up and prime for beginners and professionals alike. This is the product for you if you go through hundreds of gallons of paint a year.

Cons: Realistically, this product probably exceeds the needs of most homeowners. Even if you plan on painting your entire home, there are heavy-duty options on the market that are up to the task for considerably less money.

Bottom Line: This paint sprayer’s annual recommended usage is up to 500 gallons, which might give you an idea about its lasting power when properly cleaned and cared for. While most homeowners don’t go through five gallons of paint a year, much less than 500 gallons, this is an excellent product for those constantly putting gallons of paint on the company credit card.

 

Pros: Featuring an easy-to-use design that’s also quick and easy to clean, the Wagner Spraytech 520008 Handheld Stain Sprayer is excellent for applying solid stains to furniture and fences. This paint sprayer makes it easy to quickly modify its flow, spray width, and spray pattern for on-the-fly adjustments while completing your task and can be used with a wide variety of thinned paints for excellent results. Factor in its reliably smooth spray coverage, and you can see why this paint sprayer is worth considering for homeowners with light-duty needs.

Cons: Unlike some of the other products featured in this guide, this paint sprayer isn’t powerful enough to be used with unthinned paints. Also, nozzle replacements are fairly pricey for this product, so be sure to take good care of the nozzle and clean it quickly after every use.

Bottom Line: This paint sprayer’s unique design is fairly intuitive to pick up and use, making it a solid option for those who have never used a paint sprayer in the past. However, it’s not the most affordable entry-level paint sprayer on the market.

Final Thoughts

Painting is hard work, so investing in a high-quality paint sprayer can pay for itself by saving you hours of back-straining labor. Select from this researched list, so you end up with the perfect tool for your application.